The California was built at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Ltd., in Virginia for passage from New York via the Panama Canal to San Francisco.
Length - 601 feet; Breadth - 80 feet; Displacement - 32,450 tons; Turbine - Electric; Twin Screw. The ship was launched and operated by Panama Pacific Line and traveled regularly from New York to Havana, then through the
Panama Canal, to San Diego, Los Angeles Harbor, and San Francisco -- One Way Water, One Way Rail.

If you were in First Class, a few of the luxuries on
board was that if a passenger did not occupy a room with a private bath, he may apply to the Bath Steward to arrange for a definite time each day for use of bath. Also deck chairs and steamer rugs may be hired at
$1.50 each for the entire voyage and $1 between ports en route. Chair cushions may be hired for $1 each for the voyage.

Passengers were informed that professional
gamblers are reported as frequently traveling on passenger steamers and are warned to take precautions accordingly.

March 1936

The crew
members on the California refused to sail once their captain ordered
them to let go of the mooring lines. Among the crew members included
several Communist Party leaders and ex-World War I infantrymen. Thus
began a strike wherein Joe Curran was a member of the crew who later became
a maritime labor leader. The ship stayed moored for three days.
Thus began a major event in the maritime industry.

See
photo cover of a magazine in the section for Uruguay's Artifacts that
depicts a crew member on the California who a short time later in the
year began his movie career.

1929-1937

The
California along with her sister ships, the Virginia and
Pennsylvania, were initially successful for the Panama Pacific Line's
New York to San Francisco route via the Panama Canal. But with the
advent of the depression, removal of the government mail subsidy, and the
critical labor problems centering around the California, it became
tougher for the Panama Pacific Line to maintain the three ships.

1936

On a trip to
Buenos Aires, President Roosevelt noticed a lack of American flag vessels.
Once he returned to the United States he decided to rectify the situation
and brought the "Good Neighbor Fleet" into existence.

1937

The
California was sold to U.S.
Maritime Commission and refurbished (including removal of one funnel)
for passage from New York to Buenos Aires by American Republics
Line, operated by Moore & McCormack Lines. To carry out the President
Roosevelt's wishes for good will with South America,the California was renamed the S.S. Uruguay,
and became the Flag ship of the Good Neighbor Fleet.

September 2,
1938

The S.S. Uruguay sailed from Newport
News for New York to be taken over by the decorators. The air conditioning
system which was limited to the first-class dining room was extended to the
tourist-class dining room and new twin-screw propellers were installed. The
renovation also included a new swimming pool, reconstruction of the after
deck to provide a veranda cafe and improvements to staterooms. The
Uruguay should dock tomorrow at Pier 4, Hoboken, which is one of the
government-owned piers.

October 4, 1938

Moore-McCormack formally took over operation of the S.S. Uruguay, by the signing of the necessary papers by Captain Granville Conway, director of the
Maritime Commission in New York, and Robert C. Lee, Executive Vice President of Moore-McCormack Lines. The signing took place aboard the S.S. Brazil.

January 11,
1939

Surveyors
representing the Maritime Commission and Moore-McCormack Lines, Inc., spent
the day examining the American Republics liner, S.S. Uruguay, which
will be turned over to the company under charter within a few days.

January 17,
1939

The S.S.
Uruguay was the first ship to sail of the American Republics Line under
Moore & McCormack as operators. The ship left for Barbados, Rio de
Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo and Buenos Aires, then northbound to Santos, Rio
de Janeiro, and Trinidad.

The three
ships sailing the South American route had drawn considerable criticism but
this was later silenced when the passenger list grew from 7,000 to over
20,000 per year.

May 18, 1939

Shortly after meeting up with Eleanor Britton, Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, a/k/a Carmen Miranda, boarded the S.S. Uruguay en route to the United States. She arrived on this date to begin
her American career.

Carmen was known as the "Brasilian
bombshell," but was born in Portugal. Her family moved to Rio when she was two years old.

1940

Conductor Leopold Stokowski and his orchestra boarded the S.S. Uruguay and made a legendary recording of native Brasilian music aboard the ship.

August 28,
1941

The Maritime Commission arranged to give to Uruguay
first-class steamship service northbound by directing that the S.S.
Uruguay stop at Montevideo.

December 8, 1941

War declared against Japan.

1942

The S.S. Uruguay became a United States Army Transport ship ("USAT")
for the War Shipping Administration.

Transported Royal New Zealand Air Force Cadets
from Wellington, New Zealand to San Francisco, California.

May 26 - June 12, 1942

Transported U.S troops from San Francisco,
California to Auckland, New Zealand.

August 5-25, 1942

USAT Uruguay departed
Brooklyn, New York to Gourock, Scotland via Halifax, Nova Scotia and then to Swansea, Wales, with the 301st Bomb Group.

February 12, 1943

While transporting 5,000 troops in
an Atlantic convoy crossing, the USAT Uruguay was rammed U.S.S. Salamonie creating a 70-foot wide gaping hole.
The tanker had steering equipment problems and hit the Uruguay
amidships with a force that drove the tanker's bow into the ship's hospital. 13 Army soldiers were killed
(7 dead and 6 missing) and more than 50 soldiers were injured.
The impact lifted a soldier from his cot, dropping him on the tanker's deck.
The ship withdrew and the transfer of the soldier was not known until after
the troopship had turned towards Bermuda for repairs. (Note: Based on
information provided by Jan Narkiewicz, we have determined that there were
in fact three soldiers dropped on the tanker's deck. Two of them were
lost at sea.)

A temporary bulkhead was constructed and three days later the ship was
brought into a safe harbor. Master Albert P. Spaulding saved many lives, his ship, and her cargo. At a later date, the President of the United States took pleasure in presenting the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal to Albert P. Spaulding,
Master of USAT Uruguay.

May 15, 1943

The Uruguay departed from New York for the first time since the collision. Destination, Panama and Brisbane.

November 18, 1943

Departed Los Angeles for India

December 6, 1943

Arrived Hobart Tasmania

December 26, 1943

Arrived Bombay, India

November - December 1944

Game Played December 2, 1944

USAT Uruguay,
with three destroyers in escort, sailed to Baltimore with her precious cargo
of the entire Corps of West Point cadets en route to the Army-Navy football
game.

Knowing General Alexander M. Haig, Jr., was a cadet at West Point at this time, Ginger contacted the General for his recollections
of this event. See the General's response in Memories and Photos.

Also read about John Robb's account of berthing the Uruguay for this
memorable occasion.

February 15, 1946

USAT Uruguay, left Yokohoma, Japan with European
dignitaries and their families who were held in Japan during the war.
Also, on the ship were wounded American soldiers. This trip is
referred by some as the "Voyage of the Diplomats."

June 25, 1946

The work of
reconverting the Uruguay to her peacetime status has been awarded to
the Kearny yard of the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company which was
the low bidder at $4,437,000. The job is expected to be completed in
eight months.

June 23, 1947

S.S. Uruguay entered Todd Shipyards No. 1 Graving Dock in New York Harbor. Her entire hull from keel to light waterline was sandblasted
to the bare steel, a job that required 126 tons of white sand to clear the 40,000 square feet. This was the largest application of sand blasting on record at the Brooklyn yard.

After 87 plates, averaging 108 inches wide by 30 feet long, had been replaced in the hull, the entire bottom was painted -- first with two coats of anti-corrosive
paint from deep load line to keel, followed by one coat of anti-fouling paint from light load line to keel, and topped off with two coats of green boot topping from deep load line to light load line.

126 tons of
sand was used for removing old paint, over 1,000 gallons of paint were consumed, 85,000 rivets were replaced, and almost 24,000 square feet of steel plating were installed to complete the task of
repairing the hull of the S.S. Uruguay.

September 6,
1947

The extensive
hull repairs on the 20,183 ton Uruguay were completed at the Todd
Shipyards Corporation's Brooklyn division and the vessel was tied up at the
"Long Dock" in Section 20 of Erie Basin, Brooklyn, awaiting the end of the
shipyard strike so that her reconversion could be completed.

January 1948

Thomas F. Murphy was appointed First Assistant Purser of the S.S. Uruguay.

January 23, 1948

The S.S. Uruguay left the Brooklyn
Division of Todd Shipyards Corporation for an 18-hour trial run after
receiving bottom painting and other finishing touches. The major part of
the job was done by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company's Kearny,
New Jersey, yard. The ship went through her sea tests in good style and was
pronounced ready for service. The trials included testing of all
instruments, turns, full speed, overload runs and crash stops from full
ahead to full astern. One official of Moore-McCormack Lines said the
Uruguay "handled like a baby carriage" during the runs.

A. V. Moore, President of the company left
this morning for Miami, where he will board an airplane for South American
preparatory to touring the port cities which will be on the itinerary of the
new service.

The vessel was built as the California
20 years ago and is as modern within as almost any afloat. The Uruguay
comes back to private operation as one of the most beautiful vessels New
York has ever seen, in the opinion of veteran company men. Interior designs
were executed by William F. Schorn and there was little or none of the
"gaudiness" often associated with luxury ships.

January 24,
1948

The S.S. Uruguay returned to private
passenger service as control of the vessel was handed back to
Moore-McCormack Lines by the Maritime Commission. She is the second of the
company's three "Good Neighbor" passenger ships to be reconverted for
post-war service between New York and the east coast of South America.

January 30,
1948

Captain Albert Spaulding who was Uruguay's master prior to, during,
and after the war, started a nine-day cruise to Nassau and Havana.

February
10, 1948

A double ceremony as held at Pier 32 for the
S.S. Uruguay. The vessel received the Naval Reserve Pennant. She is
the eleventh unit of the Moore-McCormack Lines' fleet to be honored by the
Navy. Moore-McCormack leads all other American-flag lines in number of
reserve pennants. The Uruguay is the 41st ship to be
awarded since the war's end, and the 32nd to be given in the
Third Naval District.

The library was also dedicated on this day
and was named for Thomas K. Locke, a company employee who as an Infantry
Captain lost his life in World War II. Captain Locke, who was the son of
the late Major Frederick S. W. Locke, a leader in American shipping, was one
of the more than 200,000 American troops that were transported to all war
theatres on the Uruguay.

February 12,
1948

Under the command of Captain Albert
Spaulding, the S.S. Uruguay made her first post-war run on her
regular route to Buenos Aires.

August 15, 1948

Captain John M. Hultman was appointed as Staff Captain of the
S.S. Uruguay.

Winter 1948

Seven years after having won an essay contest by "Cleveland Press" and winning a Mooremack cruise, "two blonde smiling girls," Mrs. Nancy Garbison
Fisher and Mrs. Marilyn Fortey Raizk, boarded the S.S. Uruguay for a 38-day cruise.

May 16, 1949

Raul Fernandes, Brasilian Foreign Minister, a member
of the official party of President Eurico Gasper Dutra, was among the
passengers who arrived on the S.S. Uruguay which tied up at Pier 32,
North River at 10:15 a.m. He is on an official visit to visit with
President Truman. Mr. Fernandes is expected to confer tomorrow with
Secretary of State Dean Acheson on Brasil's relations with the United
States.

March 1951

Bad news for the kiddies in Buenos Aires, the Uruguay delivered 300 kilos of castor oil.

June 17, 1951

Captain Howard F. Lane took over command of the S.S. Uruguay from Captain Albert P. Spaulding, who recently retired after ten years on the
bridge of the ship. Captain Lane achieved a record on the Uruguay's
last voyage, which was his first trip as master of the ship. He took
her from Rio de Janeiro to Trinidad--the longest leg of the run from Buenos
Aires to New York--in 6 days 14 hours 42 minutes, or an average speed of
19.95 knots.

The new master graduated in 1927 from the Massachusetts
Nautical School and shipped out from his native Boston as a third officer.
He went to Moore-McCormack in 1938 and remained aboard the liner, Brazil,
as first officer until 1942. In wartime he was skipper of several
Moore-McCormack freighters, including the Mount Evans, Mormachawk,
and the Mormacpenn.

After World
War II, Captain Lane commanded other freighters and finally was attached to
the Brazil, first as staff captain and then as relief master.

August 8, 1952

About 230 miles from New York the S.S. Uruguay struck a submerged object disabling one of her two propellers. The collision caused an
"excessive vibration" and the ship was diverted to Newport News, Virginia, for replacement of the damaged blade.
Captain Jesse Hodges did not send any distress call or ask for aid.
The Uruguay proceeded to port under her own power and was scheduled to
arrive there at daybreak the next day. Moore-McCormack officials
expressed the belief that the vessel, after drydocking at the Newport News
Shipbuilding and Drydock Company for about 12 hours, would continue on her
voyage.

1954

S.S. Uruguay, determined to be the least efficient of the three sister ships, was removed from service. The S.S. Uruguay
was handed over to the U.S. Government for incorporation in the National
Reserve Fleet in the James River, Virginia.

The United States retained many of her older passenger ships in vast "mothball defense fleets," supposedly awaiting
some military emergency. However, as the years passed, the possibilities of a call to duty seemed more and more remote.

March 16, 1954

A baby girl was born to a stowaway aboard the Uruguay.
Mrs. Kitika K. Belowodski, a Latvian-born resident of Rio de Janeiro,
boarded the Uruguay on March 16 hoping to reach the United States
before her child was born. She was soon forced to disclose her status and
the child was delivered on March 17 in the ship's hospital on the high seas.

Mrs. Belowodski and her child disembarked in Bahia,
Brasil, leaving a poser as to the infant's nationality because the child was
born on an American ship. An immigration inspector said he "could
straighten the thing out, but it would take too long."

March 29, 1954

The S.S.
Uruguay arrives in New York from South America. This voyage marked
the end of the ship's career. Her sister, the S.S. Brazil, was
laid up since last August and was reactivated coincident to the Uruguay's
arrival.

The S.S.
Uruguay's last voyage was doubly exciting in that her master, Captain
Jesse R. Hodges, was obliged by reason of strike conditions to bring the ship
to her North River berth without the help of tugboats. He achieved
this in 30 minutes, without mishap, smoothly and with no apparent help.

The
replacement of the S.S. Uruguay resulted from surveys that showed the
S.S. Brazil as a more efficient ship. The S.S. Brazil
has a greater passenger capacity and more rooms with baths. Captain
Hodges transferred from the S.S. Uruguay to command the S.S.
Brazil.

Late 1963

The S.S.
Uruguay was offered for
sale by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

1964

The S.S. Uruguay was sold to the North American
Smelting Company in Wilmington, Delaware, for scrap.